Embodiments of the present apparatus relate to a hydroelectric power generator and related methods.
The increasing demand for energy through the world requires development of renewable sources of energy. Conventional energy fossil fuel energy sources, such as oil, coal and gas, have carbon emissions that are no longer tolerable for the planet. Reliable sources of renewable energy can reduce the growing danger of global warming caused by the combustion of fossil fuels. Further, the increasing energy demand of consumers in developing nations has led to higher prices, price instabilities, and shortages of natural gas and oil. Still further, the use of atomic energy for electrical generation faces the inherent dangers of atomic reactions and the reluctance of local communities to accept nuclear power plants. As a consequence of these myriad factors, there is increasing interest in generating electricity from non-polluting, renewable energy sources. Further, because electrical power generated by most renewable energy sources is typically not storable, it is desirable to use renewable energy sources that can generate power throughout the day when the demand is highest, and such sources are said to have a “high capacity factor.”
One source of renewable energy having a potentially high capacity factor is wind energy. Wind generators and wind farms are being increasingly adopted throughout the world, especially in regions having consistently high wind speeds. However, wind powered generating systems provide inherently intermittent power generation because wind speeds often fluctuate throughout the day and in seasonal patterns. As such, wind powered generators often cannot be relied upon to produce electrical power at peak demand times or consistently throughout the year.
Hydroelectric power that is generated from turbines located at dams along rivers is also extensively used. The dam holds and stores water in a lake at an elevated height, and the potential energy of the water falling from the higher elevation to a lower elevation is used to drive electrical generation turbines. However, these are often multibillion dollar projects that are both expensive and can create further environmental problems. Further, the construction of a dam is often limited to particular locations which are not available in all areas. For example, dams require a location between hills to allow creation of a natural reservoir. Further, the weight and structure of the dam often requires particular soil conditions, which include bedrock relatively close to the surface of the land, and surface layers of alluvial soil or sand.
Yet another source of renewable hydroelectric energy can come from the ocean. Hydroelectric power can be generated using the energy of waves, tidal flows, or ocean currents. These energy sources have a more predictable output than wind energy. However, they are also subject to day-to-day and seasonal variations. Further, generation of such power is limited to coastal regions and would require transportation from the ocean to distant land usages which results in high transmission losses. Even more importantly, conventional apparatus for converting ocean currents and tides to electrical energy is relatively inefficient, which further limits their use.
Hydroelectric power can also be generated from small rivers and fast-moving streams which are often located further inland. These locations are often further inland and thus allow the generation of electricity closer to the actual usage point, minimizing transmission costs and power losses incurred across large distances. Further, some states and countries require power companies to purchase surplus electricity from private generation facilities, providing an incentive for land owners with transient water canals or streams to exploit this natural source of renewable energy. For these and other reasons, many conventional river power generators have been designed, including water wheels to capture energy from the moving water stream, paddle generators, and others—for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,403, Ser. Nos. 10/489,642, 11/805,790, 11/805,790, 11/823,292, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,215,036, and 7,223,137. However, the size and complexity of many of these systems preclude their use in local rivers and small streams. Further, many such systems produce low levels of electricity rendering capitalization costs for small land owners impractical.
For various reasons that include these and other deficiencies, and despite the development of various hydroelectric power generation systems for oceans, rivers and streams, further improvements in hydroelectric power generation technology are continuously being sought.